Jakarta - Bandung HSL
Country: Indonesia
Type: High-speed
Construction Start: 2018
Completion: 2023
Length: 142.3km
Cost: $US 7.36bn
Completion of the 350km/h line linking Jakarta and Bandung has been delayed due to poor soil conditions which caused problems building two of the 13 tunnels on the route which pushed the project $US 2bn over budget. Dynamic testing started in November and the line is expected to open in mid-2023 when the journey time between the two cities will be cut from the current fastest time of 2h 40min on the conventional line to around 40 minutes.
Ankara - Sivas HSL
Country: Turkey
Type: High-speed
Construction Start: 2008
Completion: 2023
Length: 406km
Cost: $US 1.5bn
Turkey’s minister of transport and infrastructure, Mr Adil Karaismailoğlu, confirmed on November 21 that the Ankara - Sivas high-speed line will finally open in April 2023 after several delays. The 250km/h line will have eight stations, 49 tunnels and 49 viaducts. The new line will cut the distance by rail between Ankara and Sivas from 603km to 405km and reduce the journey time from 12 hours to 2 hours.
North-South Commuter Railway
Country: Philippines
Type: Commuter rail
Construction Start: 2020
Completion: 2028
Length: 163
Cost: $US 5.52bn
Construction will start next month on the northern and southern sections of the North-South Commuter Railway which will run from New Clark City via Clark International Airport and Manila to Calamba. According to Mr Timothy John Batan, under-secretary with the Department of Transportation, this will be the country’s largest railway project. The standard-gauge line is forecast to carry up to 600,000 passengers per day and will cut journey times substantially compared with road transport. The first section is expected to open in 2024.
Kolkata Metro
Country: India
Type: Metro
Construction Start: 2011
Completion: 2023
Cost: $US 669m
Kolkata has built two metro lines with three more under construction. The early part of this year should see the opening of the southern elevated section of Line 3/Purple from Taratala to Diamond Hill in Joka and the southern part of Line 6/Orange from Ruby General Hospital to Kavi Subhash in New Garia where it will connect with Line 1/Blue. Both lines are 1676mm-gauge.
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